Top leader meets with UN Secretary-General António Guterres

During the meeting, To praised the increasingly important role of the UN in global governance, promoting multilateral cooperation, upholding international law, narrowing the gap and promoting development, and ensuring full participation of all countries.

He thanked UN agencies in Viet Nam for supporting the country in overcoming consequences of Typhoon Yagi, proposing that the UN promote cooperation to enhance the capacity of countries to respond to natural disasters and manage risks and disasters.

The top leader of Viet Nam suggested that the UN Secretary-General continue to promote cooperation in energy transition, green transition, digital transformation, and digital governance system building, taking into account the interests of developing countries, including Viet Nam.

Guterres, who once took to the streets to support Viet Nam's resistance war, expressed his special sentiments for Viet Nam, and highly valued the role, position and socio-economic development achievements of Vie Nam.

He lauded the active engagement of Viet Nam in important UN agencies as well as in all priority areas of the UN's activities, especially in peacekeeping, implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, responding to climate change, and promoting just energy transition.

The two sides agreed to continue to strengthen dialogue and further deepen the Viet Nam-UN and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-UN relations in the coming time, promoting ASEAN's central role in settling regional issues, especially in maintaining peace and stability in the region, and peacefully resolving disputes in the East Sea in compliance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

They reached consensus on cooperation measures for promoting sustainable development, putting the 2030 Agenda back on track, speeding up energy transition, enhancing capacity to effectively respond to global challenges, and further increasing Viet Nam's participation in UN peacekeeping activities in the future.

The top Vietnamese leader took the occasion to invite the UN Secretary-General to visit Viet Nam at an appropriate time.

The same day, the top Vietnamese leader had separete meetings with President of the 79th United Nations General Assembly Philemon Yang and Administrator of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Achim Steiner.

Meeting with President of the 79th United Nations General Assembly Philemon Yang, the Party and State leader affirmed that Viet Nam will actively support his leadership, initiatives, and priorities for the current term. These include the promotion of peace and security through multilateral efforts, the effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the enhancement of resilience of vulnerable and less developed countries, the sustainable management of natural resources, the promotion of gender equality, youth empowerment, the narrowing of digital gap, and better innovation and digital access.

To stated that Viet Nam remains steadfast in its strong support for multilateralism, with the UN playing a central role in global governance and the UN General Assembly considered the most important body comprising all member states. Viet Nam supports the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), he said.

Viet Nam is also ready to promote trilateral agricultural cooperation, which consists of sponsorships from development partners, Viet Nam's experts, techniques and crops, and other nations, including Cameroon.

Yang, who previously served as Prime Minister of Cameroon, lauded Viet Nam's relationship with both the UN and Cameroon, its impressive socio-economic achievements and its increasingly prominent role on the global stage. He agreed to collaborate with the Southeast Asian nation to promote the compliance with the UN Charter, international law, and multilateralism.

Recognizing Viet Nam's strengths in science, technology, and agriculture, Yang pledged his commitment to fostering cooperation between Viet Nam and Cameroon in these areas and to seriously consider and address issues raised by the Vietnamese side.

On this occasion, To extended an invitation to the UN General Assembly President to visit Viet Nam in the near future.

At the meeting with Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), To highly valued the UNDP's role and contributions to Viet Nam's national construction and socio-economic development cause over the past five decades.

In this important new phase of development, he proposed the UNDP focus on supporting Viet Nam in terms of knowledge and resources, promoting the transfer of science and technology aimed at building a green economy and circular economy.

Appreciating Steiner's contributions during his time in Viet Nam as a technical advisor on water resource security, the Vietnamese leader called on the UNDP to continue helping the country and the Mekong River Commission in the sustainable and effective management and use of water resources, thereby enhancing resilience and response to water security challenges in the basin.

The UNDP Administrator hailed Viet Nam as a model in socio-economic development and in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, thus offering valuable practical experiences for the United Nations and the international community.

He affirmed that the UNDP is proud to be Viet Nam's development partner in green growth, energy transition, and innovation, and is ready to support the country in building green, sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development policies, and in attracting investments, financial resources and green technology to enhance climate change adaptability and promote a just energy transition and digital transformation to strengthen Viet Nam's self-development capabilities and avoid becoming a market for monopolistic groups.

Talking to UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, the top Vietnamese leader highly valued the ongoing cooperation between the two sides, which produces positive results, especially the valuable support from UNICEF for Viet Nam's national expanded immunization program for children.

Regarding cooperation orientations in the future, To underlined the importance of ensuring resources to implement sustainable development goals (SDGs) related to children, especially in terms of education, health care, nutrition, and vaccination.

He called for UNICEF's policy advice and support packages for Viet Nam to ensure the best care, protection, and education for children in areas affected by Typhoon Yagi.

He also suggested the two sides carry out meaningful and practical activities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Viet Nam-UNICEF cooperation, and the 35th anniversary of Viet Nam's ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 2025.

Russel praised Viet Nam's efforts in realizing SDGs, especially in the areas of child protection, care, and education, especially climate education. She also commended Viet Nam's preparedness for disaster prevention and relief, highlighting the country's exemplary experiences and good practices that can be shared with other countries.

She said that UNICEF will continue to actively implement the Viet Nam-UNICEF National Program for the 2022-2026 period to best meet Viet Nam's priorities, supporting efforts to address post-typhoon consequences, particularly to ensure that schools reopen as soon as possible.

UNICEF is willing to collaborate with Viet Nam on the country's initiative for the International Day of Play on June 11 each year, she said, and hopes that Viet Nam will be a partner of UNICEF in promoting girls' access to science and technology./. VNA